The Relationship between L2 Listening Proficiency and L2 ...
L2 Latin America's Climate and Environment...
Transcript of L2 Latin America's Climate and Environment...
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�
Learning Target:
� I CAN discuss the different climate regions in Latin America.
� I CAN discuss the main environmental concerns in Latin America.
Today’s Topic:Latin America’s Climate and Environment
Classes begins at:
1st Block 8:35am
2nd Block l0:05am
Mrs. Stone
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SS6G2 The student will discuss environmental issues
in Latin America.
SS6G3 The student will explain the impact of location,
climate, distribution of natural resources, and
population distribution on Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Number your paper 1-9
and label the physical
features of Latin America.
Answers:
1. Panama Canal
2. Andes Mountains
3. Pacific Ocean
4. Atacama Desert
5. Andes Mountains
6. Patagonia
7. Rio de la Plata
8. Amazon River
9. Atlantic Ocean
� When you think of tropical
weather, you generally don’t think
of dry air or cold temperatures.
� Although Latin America is in the
tropics, some places are not
humid or hot.
� In fact, the Atacama Desert in
Chile is one of the driest places on
earth.
� And in the upper altitudes of the
Andes mountains, temperatures
can drop to 20°F.
Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Cancer
& Tropic of Capricorn& Tropic of Capricorn& Tropic of Capricorn& Tropic of Capricorn
� AltitudeAltitudeAltitudeAltitude: the height of an object above the surface of the earth
� CanopyCanopyCanopyCanopy: the top layer of the forest, the trees of the forest canopy shade the layers below it
� Rain ForestRain ForestRain ForestRain Forest: tropical woodland with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches
� TropicsTropicsTropicsTropics: area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn; the area is warm because receives direct sun most of the year
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� Latin America has 3 main Climate Regions
1. Tropical Climates 1. Tropical Climates 1. Tropical Climates 1. Tropical Climates – Some Caribbean islands
and much of Central and South America. Has year-
round hot temperatures and heavy rainfall.
2. Temperate Climates 2. Temperate Climates 2. Temperate Climates 2. Temperate Climates - parts of South America
south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Winters are short and
mild and summers are long, hot, and humid.
3. Dry Climates 3. Dry Climates 3. Dry Climates 3. Dry Climates – Northern Mexico, Coastal
Peru, Chile, NE Brazil, and SE Argentina. Grasses cover
partly dry steppe lands, and cacti and hardy shrubs
have adapted to harsher desert areas.
Across
3. the height of an object above the
surface of the earth
5. the top layer of the forest, the
trees of the forest canopy shade the
layers below it
7. Winters are short and mild and
summers are long, hot, and humid.
Down
1. tropical woodland with an annual rainfall
of at least 100 inches
2. Has year-round hot temperatures and
heavy rainfall.
4. Grasses cover partly dry steppe lands,
and cacti and hardy shrubs have adapted to
harsher desert areas.
6. area between the Tropic of Cancer and
the Tropic of Capricorn; the area is warm
because receives direct sun most of the
yearClimate in Latin AmericaClimate in Latin AmericaClimate in Latin AmericaClimate in Latin America
Answers come Answers come Answers come Answers come
from previous from previous from previous from previous
2 slides2 slides2 slides2 slides
�
Who remembers some of the Environmental Issues
Canada faces?
Type it in the Chat box.
� Air Pollution in Mexico City, Mexico & Santiago, Chile
� Destruction of the Rain Forest in Brazil
� Oil-Related Pollution in Venezuela
� Air pollution is a problem in both
Mexico City, Mexico, and Santiago,
Chile.
� Both cities are located in areas
surrounded by mountains.
� The mountains affect the air
currents and keep the polluted air
trapped above the cities.
� In 2000, Mexico City had a
population of over 18 million.
� Overcrowding
� Industrialization
� Vehicle Emissions
� Location at base of
mountains which traps
pollution
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� Damage to vegetation
� Harm to the atmosphere
� Harm to human beings
� Harm to buildings and
ancient monuments
� Connection between Air
Pollution & Acid Rain (Remember Acid Rain from Canada Unit)
� To reduce air pollution, the city
promotes public transportation
(buses, subway).
� The city is also testing buses that
run on cleaner burning fuels.
� There are new restrictions on car
use
� City is providing workshops to
teach people about the
environment
� The Amazon River Basin is home to
the world's largest rainforest.
� Most of the rainforest is located in
Brazil.
� Home to huge variety of plants,
trees, insects, birds, and animals
including 2 ½ million different
insect species as well as over
40,000 plant species
� Produces 1/3 of Earth’s oxygen!!!
� However, it has been greatly
affected by deforestation.
� Deforestation or clear cutting is a
huge problem in the Amazon
� The land has been cleared land
to raise livestock and grow crops.
� Due to a rise in population,
people have cleared the land to
build houses and developments.
� People have cut down trees to
use for building materials.
� People have also cleared the
land for mining.
� The result of deforestation is that
much of the rain forest has been
destroyed and many animals and
plants are without a home.
� Loss of trees increases carbon
dioxide, a gas that contributes to
global warming.
� Removing trees causes soil to
become dry and less fertile since it
has no decaying leaves to add
nutrients
� Cutting down trees also causes
erosion of the land
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� In 2006, the governor of the state of
Pará in Brazil signed a law
establishing protected areas in the
Amazon.
� Unsustainable logging (cutting down
trees without replanting anything) and
slash-and-burn agriculture are
banned.
� Access to other parts of the rain
forest that can be hurt by human
interaction has been restricted.
� Only native people and scientific
researchers can enter those areas.
� Oil is an important natural resource in
Venezuela, Ecuador, and Mexico.
� The oil industry, however, often causes
environmental changes in a region.
� Oil production results in toxic wastes, air
pollution, & oil spills
� Venezuela leads South America in the
production of carbon dioxide, which is a
by-product of burning fossil fuels like
natural gas & oil.
o can cause breathing problems for children &
elderly
o contributes to global warming
� In Venezuela oil fields are located
around Lake Maracaibo.
� It is the largest lake in South America.
The lake has suffered from oil spills and
pollution.
� Oil wells have caused most of the
damage to the lake.
� Large amounts of oil have been removed
from the area so the land is changing.
o Eastern shore of the lake is dropping about
three inches a year
o Government is having to take precautions to
keep water from flooding into nearby towns
� People are becoming
aware that the cost in the
long term may be too
great.
� Groups are calling for
renewable energy sources
and the clean-up and
prevention of pollution.
�The ecology of
Brazil’s rain
forest is most
threatened by
which of these
human
activities?
A. Building dams
B. Drilling for oil
C. Cutting down trees
D. Draining swamps
�Which geographical feature found in Mexico City, Mexico, and Santiago, Chile, contributes to the high levels of air pollution in both cities?
A. Both cities are located in mountainous regions.
B. Both cities are on the coast.
C. Both cities experience extreme changes in climate.
D. Both cities are located in deserts.
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To combat air pollution, Mexico City has
started a program called Hoy No Circula,
or One Day Without a Car. The program
keeps certain cars from being driven on
certain days based on the last number
of a car's license plate. The program
also places restrictions on older cars.
Many older cars do not have the same
emissions requirements that new cars
have. What are other ways cities can
fight air pollution?
Time to LOOK BACK!
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
(signed by Canada and America) was meant
to slow pollution in the Great Lakes. It has
been renewed several times since 1972, but
it has not had as great of an effect as either
government has wanted.